Los Angeles Living

Ocean Park in Santa Monica,  basically lies between Pico Blvd. to the North, Marine St. to the South, Lincoln to the East and the ocean to the West.

The area has a mix of homes, from the electic to the modern, interspersed with the smaller income properties, condos and apartments.  Ocean Park borders the funky Venice area and has its own attractions with Main St.'s trendy shopping and dining.

Santa Monica's Ocean Park homes,  are among the more expensive in the City, the walk streets of Hollister, Wadsworth, Hart and Fraser being among the most sought after. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many landmark properties in Ocean Park, including

128 Hollister Ave.
2621 2nd St.
Ocean Park Public Library

Ocean Park single family home sales, statistics for February '09 to February '10 are shown below.

The above graph will form the basis to track the trend of Ocean Park home sales over the coming year.

Search for homes in Ocean Park Santa Monica

 

 

Even we Angelenos still get excited when we see the Hollywood Sign. But we rarely get this close!

The Santa Monica housing market, has remained fairly steady over the last year.  It is a city of distinct and diverse areas:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Santa Monica Canyon:  with a Santa Monica zip code this is in fact part of the City of Los Angeles. It is a hilly and rustic park-like area with some lovely ocean views.

Canyon Charter Elementary School is one of the most prestigious schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District

Ocean Park:   this is a destination area for locals with its trendy restaurants and boutiques on Main St. Situated along the beach to Lincoln Avenue, it is a mix of older homes, condos and apartments.  There are a few walk streets that still have many of the original craftsman houses.

SMASH is an alternative school and John Muir High School serve this area. Olympic High School is an alternative high school in the area.

North of San Vicente, are the some of the most expensive homes in Santa Monica and indeed Los Angeles County.

North of Montana,  also has the high-end Santa Monica homes,  and Montana Ave. is a destination for restaurants and boutiques.

North of Wilshire is a mainly residential area with a mix of single-family homes, condos, and apartments.  This is a more affordable area, though still expensive.

Downtown Santa Monica,  is the commercial area which includes Third Street Promenade a pedestrian-only shopping mall with a mix of restaurants, shops and street entertainment.  Soon to be finished is the newly-renovated Santa Monica Place Mall.

Midtown Santa Monica,  is an area of grid streets with a mix of single-family, condos and apartment buildings.  This part of the city bears more resemblance to its neighbor, West Los Angeles and is not a tourist area.

Sunset Park, is a quaint, hilly area bordering Santa Monica Airport made up mostly of single family homes.

Santa Monica-Malibu School District covers the Santa Monica area.

Santa Monica homes sales  have remained fairly steady.  The statistics below are for single family homes.  They are taken from the MLS.

There were 11 sales in February '10 vs 5 in February '09. 

The median price was $930,000 almost half that of February '09 at $1,579,000.  However, the January '10 median price was almost the same at $1,579,000 with very little fluctuation over the year.

Days on the market has increased, from 49 in February'09 to 74 in February '10.

There were 123 homes on the market last month, with a median price of $1,850,000, almost the same as in February '09.  The number of homes on the market in that month was 165.

Santa Monica homes for sale

 

Westwood,  the home of UCLA, is a diverse community consisting of the upscale area of single family homes in Holmby Hills, home of the Playboy Mansion and Candy Spelling's $150 million dollar home;  the multi-million condo district known as The Wilshire Corridor, the Golden Mile, or Millionaire's Mile, and, south of Wilshire Blvd. a mix of more affordable single family homes, condos and apartments, although Westwood is one of the higher rent districts in Los Angeles.

 

Built in 1929, Westwood Village's retail area has suffered recently because of the competition from nearby Century City mall and the revitalization of Culver City, amonst others, but it is still home to the landmark Fox Theater with itsn white tower, the Mann Bruin, and the art deco Majestic Crest. It still caters to the UCLA student population with its selection of numerous ethnic restaurants.

 

The chart below shows the number of single family properties on the market in Westwood over the past year by month, the median price and the number of days on the market.  The median price has dropped slightly from a year ago and days on the market have dropped.

The chart below shows the median price of Westwood sold homes by month over the past year and number of days on the market for those homes. The median price has increased significantly from a year ago, but so have days on the market.  The number of properties sold has decreased.  September, October, and November '09 were the hottest months for sales.

Area public schools are:

Emerson Middle School - Academic Performance Index* (API) for 2009 was 709
Fairburn Elementary School - API was 957
Warner Avenue Elementary School - API was 971

*Out of a possible 1000

Search Westwood Homes for Sale

 

Westside Village is an upscale area of Palms,  in the City of Los Angeles.  The boundaries are Sepulveda Blvd. to the East, Overland Ave. to the West, National Blvd. to the North and Charnock Road to the South. It was originally part of Rancho Ballona from which Palms was formed, and was created by developer Fritz R. Burns in 1940 and 1941 who developed around 1,100 single-family houses surrounded by schools, parks, stores and places of worship. It has a population of around 12,000 of which 70% are renters and the balance homeowners. Burns is responsible for the vast number of huge trees in the area as he bought out a local nursery and sold shrubs to homeowners at a discounted price for 25 - 50 cents.

There are currently 13 homes for sale in Westside Village,  the lowest priced is $579,000 and the highest is $1,595,000.  Average days on the market for these homes is 45 days.  The average price is $826,615.

Public schools for the area are:

Clover Avenue Elementary School - Academic Performance Index* (API) for 2008 was 812
Charnock Road Elementary School - API was 722
Palms Middle School - API was 686
Hamilton High School - API was 606

* Out of a possible 1000

Local schools's overall California API is 767, close to meeting the statewide target of 800.

Westside Village  has a mixture of buildings and architectural styles, from multi-family and modern-single family homes to the original 1940 structures.  Despite its proximity to major shopping areas and freeways there is an air of peace and a suburban feel with all the tree-lined streets.

There is an active neighborhood homeowners association with a neighborhood watch.

The Crime Index for the area is 30% lower than the L.A. County Average.

Westside Village  and Palms itself can look foward to continued growth the with the upcoming Metro Expo Line scheduled to pass through Palms from Downtows to Santa Monica.  The exact route has not yet been determined.

Search Palms/Mar Vista Homes for Sale

 

 

Los Angeles Museum Exhibits - 2010 - 2011

GETTY CENTER

Building the Medieval World:  Architecture in Illuminated Manuscripts: these manuscripts depict long lost Middle Ages and Renaissance architecture.

A Record of Emotion: The Photographs of Frederick H. Evans:  a British photographer best known for his photographs of medieval cathedrals.

Migrations of the Mind: Manuscripts from the Lawrence J. Schoenberg Collection - ends April 18th:  an extraordinary collection of illuminated manuscripts from around the world.

Foundry to Finish:  The Making of a Bronze Sculpture - ends July 11th:  an exhibition with accompanying photographs highlightin sculptor Adriaen De Vries' bronze casting.

Urban Panoramas:  Opie, Liao, Kim:  three contemporary photographers exploring a particular city.

La Roldana's Saint Gines:  The Making of a Polychrome Sculpture:  one of  the most prolific sculptors of the 17th Century.

Leonardo da Vinci and the Art of Sculpture:  Inspiration and Invention - March 23rd - June 20th:  the first display of works by da Vinci in decades.

In Focus:  Tasteful Pictures - April 6th -  August 22nd:  food is showcased in the works of 20 photographers.

Printing the Grand Manner: Charles le Brun and Monumental Prints in the Age of Louis IV - May 18th - October 17th:  exploring the form, content, and function of late 17th Century reproductive engravings.

Old Testament Imagery in Medieval Christian Manuscripts - June 1st - August 8th:  featuring the old testament in a wide variety of books, bibles, manuscripts, and world histories.

The Spectacular Art of Jean-Léon Gérôme- June 15th - September 12th:  one of France's most honored 18th Century painters.

Engaged Observers: Documentary Photography Since the Sixties - June 29th - November 14th:  published photo essays in the second half of the 20th Century.

From Line to Light:  Renaissance Drawing in Florence and Venice - July 20th - October 10th:  some of the Getty's most spectacular drawings, including Fra Bartolommeo, Andrea del Sarto, Raphael and Titian.

Illuminated Manuscripts from Belgium and the Netherlands - August 24th - February 26th, 2011:  Getty holdings of medieval manuscripts from this region.

In Focus:  Still Life - September 14th - January 23rd, 2011:  Getty's photograph collection showing some of the innovative ways artists have explored and refreshed this traditional genre.

Obsidian-Mirror Travels:  Refracting Ancient Mexican Art and Archaelogy - November 16th - March 27th, 2011:  exploring representation of Mexican archaelogical objects and sites from the Colonial era to the present.

Imagining the Past in France, 1250 - 1500 - November 16th - February 6th, 2011:  rare manuscripts from collections of more than 25 of the world's greatest museums and libraries.

The Secret Life of Drawings - November 23rd - February 13th, 2011:  no information available.

Felice Beato:  A Photographer on the Eastern Road - December 7th - April 3rd, 2011:  around 130 of this 19th Century British photographer who covered a wide geographical area.

Photography from the New China - December 7th - April 3rd, 2011:  a cross-section of Chinese photograph since Deng Xiaoping's introdcution of the period of Opening and Reform

GETTY VILLA

Molten Color:  Glassmaking in Antiquity:  over 180 glass objects from the Erwin Oppenländer collection.

Roman Ephebe from Naples: a Roman bronze figure from 20-10 B.C. excavated in 1925.

The Aztec Pantheon and the Art of Empire - opening March 24th:  explores the parallels between the Aztec and Roman Empires.

The Art of Ancient Greek Theater - August 26th - January 3rd, 2011:  a major international loan exhibition exploring nearly 60 years of the many ways Greek plays and stagecraft inspired classical artists.

THE HAMMER

Luisa Lambri:  Being There - closes June 13th:  photography of architectural interiors from around the world.

Jonas Wood - closes May 9th:  Wood paints scenes from the world around him in a unique fashion.

Rachel Whiteread Drawings - closes April 25th:  a British artist well known for her sculptures, the drawings are a diary of her work.

Rembrandt Prints - closes April 4th: a variety of Rembrandt van Rijn's etchings.

Daria Martin:  Minotaur - April 10th - July 3rd:  a film paying tribute to dance pioneer Anna Halprin based on the Rodin sculpture Minotaur.

The Red Book of C.G. Jung: Creation of a New Cosmology - April 11th - June 6th:  an exhibition of psychologist Jung's famous red book thought to be the most influential unpublished work in the history of psychology.

Friedrich Kunath - April 17th - September 30th:   an impressive range of media distilling the fundamentals of human emotion.

Diana Al-Hadid - May 15th - August 15th:  baroque architectural sculptures that appear to be in a state of ruin.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART (L.A.C.M.A.)

Contemporary Projects 12 -  ends June 6th:  Robin Rhode:  South African artist Robin Rhode's work includes performances, wall drawings, photograph compositions, objects, video animations, and film.

American Stories: Paintings of Everyday Life (1765-1915) ends May 23rd:  75 paintings from the Revolution to the start of World War I.

Renoir in the 20th Century - ends May 9th:  this exhibit focuses on the last three decades of Renoir's career.

In the Service of the Buddha: Tibetan Furniture from the Hayward Family Collection - March 27th - April 3rd:  masterpieces of virtually every important type of Tibetan furniture.

Myths, Legends, and Cultural Renewal: Wagner's Sources - April 15th - August 15th:  exploring German myths and legends in various embodiments.

John Baldessari:  Pure Beauty - June 27th - September 12th - one of the most influential American artists working today.

Fallen Fruit Presents EATLACMA - ends November:  investigation into food, art, culture and politics.

Manly Pursuits:  The Sporting Images of Thomas Eakins - July 25th - October 17th:  examining the history of sporting images through Eakins art.

Olmec:  Masterworks of Ancient Mexico - September 25th - January 9th, 2011:  art from the Olmec civilization of 1400 B.C.

The Resnick Collection - September 26th - January 2nd, 2011:  about 85 European paintings from the Stuart and Lynda Resnick Collection.

Fashioning Fashion:  European Dress in Detail, 1700 - 1950 - September 26th - April 3rd, 2011:  a major collection of European mens, women's and children's garments and accesories.

THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (M.O.C.A.)

Las Vegas Studio:  Images from the Archives of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown - ends June 20th:  images of Las Vegas from 1968 by architectural students from Yale University.

Mi Casa Es Tu Casa, a Land Project - ends May 1st:  a site-specific installation by Mexico City artist Israel Meza Moreno. The exhibit explores ideas of illegal immigration and concealed ethnic identity.

Collection:  MOCA's First Thirty Years: More than 500 art works by more than 200 artists, 1940-NOW.

Archile Gorky Betrohal I 1947 - June 6th - Septemebr 20th:  in loving memory of Taft Schreiber by his wife Rita.

Suprasensorial:  Experiments in Light, Color, and Space - September 12th - January 10th, 2011:  site specific environment 3 chromo-cubicles.

Iannis Xenakis:  Composer, Architect, Visionary - November 7th - February 13th, 2011:  no information.

William Leavitt - December 21st - March 14th, 2011:  no information

THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY

Drawn to Satire:  John Sloan's Illustrations for the Novels of Charles Paul de Kock  - ends March 29th:  etchings to illustrate the French author's comic novels.

The Golden Age in the Golden State:  Dutch and Flemish Prints and Drawings from the Huntington and Crocker Collections - ends March 29th:  15 important paintings from the 17th Century including Rembrandt, Goltzius and Rubens.

A Clash of Empires:  The Seven Years' War and British America - April 24th - July 26th:   examines the cause, course and consequences of the French and Indian War which started in 1754.

The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohiffs - May 22nd - September 6th:  the first major exhibition of furniture and decorative art from this American craftsman and designer.

Beauty and Power:  Renaissance and Baroque Bronzes from the Peter Marino Collection - October 9th - January 24th, 2011:  a rare look at approximately 20 bronze statuettes made from about 1500 to the mid-18th Century Italy, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Child's Play? Children's Book Illustration of 19th-Century Britain - April 3rd - July 26th:  a selection of rare drawings by some of the most talented artists and illustrators of the period the books themselves.

Charles Bukowski (working title) - October 9th - February 14th, 2011:  includes corrected typescripts of Bukowski's poems, novels and his screenplay, Barfly.

Taxing Visions:  Financial Episodes in Late 19th-Century American Art - January 9th - May 30th, 2011:  taxes, rent, economic depression, and financial inequity are the subjects in the visually provocative paintings.

NORTON SIMON MUSEUM OF ART

Gaze:  Portrature after Ingres - ends April 5th:  150 works tracing artistic engagements after Ingres' memorial 1867 French exhibition.

Divine Demons:  Wrathful Deities of Buddhist Art - ends June 28th:  a fascinating theme of wrathful Buddhist deities and ritual implements.

Plants, Flowers, and Fruits:  Ellsworth Kelly Lithographs - April 23rd - August 23rd:  reductive geometry in paint and wood.

Hiroshige:  Visions of Japan - June 4th - January 17th, 2011:  approximately 150 woodblock prints from one of the most prolific artists of his time (1797-18580.

THE MUSEUM OF TOLERANCE

Stop the Bomb - March 24th at 7:00 p.m.  hear from two young Germans who want their government to impose political and economic sanctions against Iran.

Among the Righteous:  Lost Stories from the Holocaust in Arab Lands - March 25th at 7:00 p.m.  film screening with a Q&A with Robert Satloff.

Family Sunday - Cesar Chavez Day - March 28th from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. celebrating the life of Cesar Cavez and Chicano Civil Rights.

From Hate to Hope - April 11th from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. true story of the reconciliation of a perpetrator and a victim of a hate crime.

Music, Memory, and Morality:  How and Why Wagner Matters - April 15th at 7:30 p.m. can one separate an artist's work from his or her message?

Courage:  The Vision to End Segration, The Guts to Fight for it - ends August 23rd:  bringing to life the struggles agains racial segregation in public schools.

OTHER MUSEUMS

The Natural History Museum

Page Museum - La Brea Tar Pits

Autry Museum of Western Heritage

 

 

 

 

 

3465 Tilden Avenue

Come visit me at the open house on Sunday, March 21st - 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

This house is waiting for its new owner.  You can move right in and upgrade in your own time.  The backyard is wonderful and ready for those summer barbecues to come.

Other open houses in the area are below:

dd

 

The Los Angeles Marathon takes place on Sunday July 21st and you can expect the usual major congestion.

The wheelchair races starts at 7:00 a.m. and the main event at 7:24 a.m.  It starts at Dodger Stadium and ends up at Santa Monica pier.

There will be plenty of entertainment along the 26.2 mile route.

The video below shows the route for those of you who want to watch and those of you who would like to avoid the traffic jams.

 

 

Westwood Branch Library - 1246 Glendon Avenue

March 16th

Internet 1A-Google - 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Learn about the Internet, search engines, URLs, browsers, the World Wide Web and more. Examine Google in detail. Familiarity with the keyboard and mouse and/or 'Computer Comfort' class is recommended before taking this class. Call branch for special parking instructions.

Passover Storytime - 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Join special guest Chaya Grossbaum from Chabad of Central Westwood for Passover themed stories and crafts.

Resume Workshop - 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Looking for work and need to update your resume? Get free expert help with your resume from a professional in the field.

March 17th

Chinese Conversation Class -  6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Learn Mandarin Chinese with Grace Yang. All levels welcome. Classes meet this month on March 17 & 31.

Persian Dance -  4:30 P.M.

Celebrate Persian New Year at the library. Dancers from Play It Again! and Danesh Academy will perform traditional Persian dances. Fun for the whole family.

March 18th

Maggie Anton Presents Her New Novel -  6:30 -7:45 p.m.

Life, Love, and Talmud in Medieval France: Maggie Anton returns with "Rashi’s Daughters Book III: Rachel"—the dramatic final book in the epic trilogy. Books will be available for signing and purchase.

 

March 23rd

Toddler Storytime -  10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Join us every other Tuesday morning for stories, songs, fingerplays and more. For toddlers who are 18 months to 3 years old and their parents or caregivers.

Baby Storytime -  11:30 - 12:30 a.m.

Join us every other Tuesday morning for stories, songs, stretches and a whole lot more.  For babies who are 2 to 18 months old and their parents or caregivers.

March 24th

French Conversation Class - 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Practice your French in a fun atmosphere! The discussion theme this month is "La Chanson Francaise: French Singers and Songs."

March 25th

Chocolate Truffles -  4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Is there anyone who doesn’t love chocolate truffles? Believe it or not, these bitesize nuggets of delectable chocolate aren’t hard to make and will be a surefire way for you to learn how to concoct the perfect treat or gift. (Hint, hint—Mother’s & Father’s Day are just around the corner).

Portuguese and Bossa Nova - 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Dani Casselman teaches Portuguese using Bossa Nova song lyrics as a point of departure. All levels welcome.

March 27th

Mystery Book Club - 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

A discussion of "Purple Cane Road" by James Lee Burke.

March 30th

Resources for Getting Your Finances in Order - 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Learn about the varied resources for dealing with your finances that Los Angeles Public Library offers on its website. Please call the branch for special parking instructions.

 

 

The statistics below cover Westwood and West Los Angeles.  They are taken directly from the MLS and are for single family homes.  They do not include condos, income property or private sales.

There were 7 homes sold in February, 3 more than in January and 1 less than February '09

The highest price sold was $1,720,000 and the lowest was $530,000.

The median sold price was $830,000, down from $1,182,000 in January and $1,024,200 in February '09.

The average sold price vs list price was 97.55%, almost the same as January at 98% and up from 94.16% in February '09.

The average days on the market was 52, up from 24 in January and 45 in February '09.

It is still difficult to determine the trend, but we wait for March and April figures.